[pete0403]

I just recently bought myself an inspection camera with a 3' gooseneck camera/light. After I used it for what I bought it for, I was playing around and remembered that the floor drain in my basement has another line leading diagonally toward one corner of my house. This run attaches at the floor drain above the water level before the trap and has a lot of soil, is moist, but I've never seen anything flowing out of it (except centipedes :furious

I checked it out with the scope but of course only saw 3' of dark, dirty pipe. There is definitley dirt in there but it looks nice and round with no roots at least in the first 3'.

Any idea on what this could be? House was built in 1966, is a 4-level side split, on clay-loam soil, in SW Ontario. No visible drains sticking up from the ground around the house except one in the back door stairwell which doesn't lead to here since it faces the wrong way and I've tested it with the hose.

My next plan is to talk to the neighbour next door who is the original owner of his house.

 

[rossfingal]

That "mystery drain" is probably, a "back-up" drain in case the floor drain
becomes plugged or a sewer back-up occurs.
Might buy some time before the floor get's flooded.
I've seen it done before.
1966 - dirt inside - they probably used "no hub" clay tile and put strips of
tar paper on top of the joints to attempt to keep dirt out - "filter-fabric"
was not that prevalent, back then.
Maybe someone else has an idea.

rossfingal

 

[pete0403]

Sounds like a good explanation..where would the other end go? It would have to be open to let water flow in without trapping air right?

 

[rossfingal]

The other end probably, "dead-ends" somewhere underground.
Hopefully, they set the tile/pipe in a gravel, filled trench (sometimes, Yes -
sometimes, No).
It's not meant to be a primary "DWV" drain - more of a "backup" - that's
why it isn't "trapped" - and why it's above the trap in the floor drain.
If it was run to a storm sewer, catch basin, etc... - it would probably, be
trapped - no sewer fumes.
The problem with installing a trap in it is -
if it's not subjected to "semi- constant" water - the water in the trap will evaporate - therefore:
defeating the purpose of the trap.
I talked with other "old-time" plumbers (older then me, anyway) -
they concur.
It's not a bad thing to have!
If the volume of water is so great that air will be "trapped" -
you've got bigger problems - water on the floor!
Hope this helps!

rossfingal

 

[Dougtheplumber]

Sounds like they installed your weeping tile to drain into your sewer, acceptable back then, not so good any more. It should not cause a problem. The main reason it is not done anymore is the sewage treatment plants get overworked for no reason when they have clean storm drainage entering their system. In newer areas they are installing a seperate storm drain into houses to look after the clean ground water.